Computers Quote by Michael Pollan
““One problem with the division of labor in our complex economy is how it obscures the lines of connection, and therefore of responsibility, between our everyday acts and their real-world consequences. Specialization makes it easy to forget about the filth of the coal-fired power plant that is lighting this pristine computer screen, or the back-breaking labor it took to pick the strawberries for my cereal, or the misery of the hog that lived and died so I could enjoy my bacon. Specialization neatly hides our implication in all that is done on our behalf by unknown other specialists half a world away.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Omnivore's Dilemma, 2006
Specialization hides the true impact of our consumption, disconnecting us from the consequences of production.
In simple terms: Specialization masks the real effects of what we buy and eat.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address hidden impacts of everyday choices.
Themes
food systems
responsibility
globalization
environment
ethics
Mood
reflective
concerned
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- grocery shopping
- diet planning
- policy advocacy
Key Concepts
interconnectedness
consumer awareness
industrial agriculture
Questions to Reflect On
- What can individuals do to uncover hidden costs?
- How can societies restructure supply chains for transparency?
A Different Perspective
Complex systems make it hard to trace responsibility fully.
![“At this point, an urgent question arises: [...] Is it our duty to seek to become a thorough and complete human being, one quite sufficient unto himself; or, on the contrary, to be only a part of a whole, the organ of an organism? Briefly, is the division of labor, at the same time that it is a law…” quote by Emile Durkheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/487/emile-durkheim-7413_arise_at-this-point-an-urgent-question-arises_771653.jpg)
